On the 28th day of February in 1969, a Friday, photographer and historian Louis Saillard recorded this view of the Illinois Central office car #9. The car is coupled to the rear of train #2, the City of New Orleans, as it makes its first stop in Hammond, Louisiana on its way north from New Orleans to Chicago. It should be a bit after 9 am on this overcast day. And it was probably chilly outside, judging by the exhaust steam from the car’s heating.

Note the train order hoops at the right. It’s a bit surprising to see the weeds growing up around the track structure. But this was a time of belt-tightening on the railroad, and that second mainline track would soon be removed.

Car #9 was built in 1917 by Pullman. The diagram sheet states “original car No. 15, renumbered to US 67, then to 15, then to no. 1, then to no. 9.”